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3
Public Health Department,
Town Hall, N. 15.
September, 1948.
His Worship the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough.
Mr. Mayor, My Lord, My Lady, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my report on the state of the public
health and sanitary circumstances of the Borough for the year ending
the 31st December, 1947.
The Ministry of Health (Circular 13/47) again requires that this
report, for reasons of economy in paper and labour, shall be in
abridged form. Among the subjects of current interest which the
Minister wishes to be included are tuberculosis, the progress of
diphtheria immunisation, the care of premature infants and of
illegitimate children; and the steps taken to combat infestation.
Reference must be made this year to the rapid changes now
taking place in the structure and functions of local government.
Hospitals, gas, electricity and public assistance, for example, are
being transferred to the State; others such as school health, child
welfare, ambulances and town planning, are to be transferred from
county districts to county councils. In these changes the Borough
of Tottenham, which has hitherto held a high record of achievement
for progressive thought and action, must inevitably lose much of
its individuality and authority. But with the knowledge that the
first objective of local government, as of central government, is the
well-being and health of the people, these changes will be accepted
with grace and a determined effort to ensure that all services to be
made available centrally, are speedily and efficiently adapted to
local requirements. In this way new fields of social endeavour and
new measures for the prevention of disease and promotion of health
will remain ever a primary function of the Borough.
On the eve of the coming into operation of the National Health
Service Act, 1946, which seeks to lay down solid foundations for
the ultimate erection of a health service second to none in the world,
it must be fully appreciated that success will depend very largely
on the degree of co-operation given by each and every citizen